Detergent.



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DETERGENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 641,225, dated January 9, 1900.

Application filed October 9, 1899. Serial No. 7331 (N0 p im ns-l To rtZl whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES EUGENE Pos- TLETHWAIIE, contractor for railway stores, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at Hancock road, Bromley, London, in the county of Middlesex, England, have invented a certain new or improved compound for cleansing painted, varnished, or polished surfaces, carpets, rugs, oil-cloth, brasswork, and the like, of which the following is a specification.

Letters Patent dated the 19th day of April, 1898,No. 602,5l9,were granted to me for Compounds for cleaning wood; but said compounds are more especially applicable for use in connection with the outside paneling of railway-carriages and are unsuitable to be employed for cleansing generally the surfaces of the interior fittings of such carriages and other surfaces; and the object of my present invention is to obtain a compound suitable for cleansing the surfaces of various articles generally and such as painted, varnished, or polished wood surfaces, carpets, rugs, oilcloth, brasswork, and the like without liability to injure the same or the color thereof.

In carrying this invention into effect the following ingredients are combined in or in about the proportions stated, namely: oxalate of ammonia, eight ounces; boracic acid, eight ounces; glycerin, fifty-three and onethird ounces; water, one gallon. In preparing this mixture the oxalate of ammonia and bo racic acid are first dissolved in the water, the glycerin is added to the solution so formed, and the Whole is then thoroughly mixed by any suitable means, when it is ready'for use.

If desired, the above-described compound may be thickened by the addition thereto of a quantity of flour of a suitable cereal, preferably wheat, and for this purpose the flour is made into a paste and the mixture is heated to a state of ebullition and is added to and gradually stirred into the paste. The quantity of flour added must be varied according to the consistency it is desired the finished compound shall possess, as will be readily understood.

In applying the compound to a painted, varnished, or polished surface a thin coating thereof is laid evenly over the same, preferably by the aid of a soft brush, and is allowed to remain thereon for from ten to thirty minutes, when it is washed off with Water, preferably warm, by means of brushes and cloths, after which the surface is dried and, if desired, polished by the aid of soft cloths.

For cleansing upholstered work, carpets, rugs, or oil-cloth the fabric or material, when its nature admits of that treatment, is first well beaten and brushed. The surface to be cleansed is then well rubbed over with some of the compound placed upon a cloth, after which the compound is washed ofi with water, preferably warm, and the surface is dried with soft cloths.

Brasswork and like surfaces may be ,cleansed by steeping a cloth in the preparation or placing some of the compound thereon and rubbing the surface therewith and then finishing off with a dry cloth. If the surface to be acted upon be badly tarnished, a small quantity of finely-powdered pumice-stone orbath-brick should be dusted over the cloth with which the compound is applied.

Any desired perfume may be added to the compound forming the subject of the present invention.

What I claim is-- 1. A cleansing compound for various surfaces, consisting of a mixture of oxalate of ammonia, boracic acid, water and glycerin, combined in or in about the proportions stated, substantially as hereinbefore described.

2. A cleansing compound for various surfaces consisting of a mixture of oxalate of ammonia, boracic acid, water and glycerin in or in about the proportions stated, having combined therewith a quantity of the flour of a cereal, preferably wheat, substantially as hereinbefore described. I,

CHARLES EUGENE POSTLETHWAITE.

Witnesses:

GEO. S. VAUGHAN, F..B. MORRIS. 

